


Business at Saint Simon and Jude

by Interrobang27



Category: Great Pretender (Anime)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Attempt at Humor, Con Artists, Crimes & Criminals, Guns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:00:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26615608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Interrobang27/pseuds/Interrobang27
Summary: Thierry Laurent invites his three friends to a vacation on a little-known micronesian nation. Of course, with second intentions. Will the gang pull off one scam based on a 5-cent coin? Will Makoto stay clean or will fall for Laurent talk... again?Great Pretender was such a pleasant surprise to me I want to try aand make this as close as possible as the real thing. Hope you like it. Opinions more than welcome.
Kudos: 16





	1. Prologue - A Cafe in Tokyo

**Business At Saint Simon and Jude**

**Prologue**

“Right, what’s going on?”

The woman slowly put down her tea, before smiling at the young man in front of her.

“… and here I was thinking Japanese people were supposed to be extreme polite. That’s stereotyping for you. Greetings, Edamura, fancy meeting you here. As for what’s going on, this is a cafe, I am having a tea. Would you like to join me?”

“Cynthia, this is the only cafe between my home and my job. In Tokyo.”

“Really? Isn’t the world a small place?” she again gestured to the chair in front of her

Practically every fiber on Makoto Edamura body urged him to turn around and leave. Keep himself clean. Job at the book and manga store. Small salary, smaller apartment, but fear no police officer. Sleep with no conscience bothering him.

Later, he would make a point to see a therapist to deal with the remaining 1 or 2% of his being that made him sit.

“You were here yesterday.”

She just made a vague gesture.

“What Laurent wants?” pressed the young man

“Vacation. With his friends.”

“I doubt that.”

“He sent you a plane ticket and info, right?”

“Cynthia, my knowledge about the world is below average, but even I can say this Saint Zude is not a tourism paradise.”

“Saint Simon and Jude.”

“I can’t even remember the place name, see? Now, what Laurent really wants?”

Cynthia smiled, sliding her hand on the table, to reveal Edamura a small object.

A 5 cent dollar coin.

Edamura stood there, motionless.

"If you want to know more..."

"I don't" And got up.

* * *

A week later, a grumpy Edamura found Cynthia Moore at Haneda Airport.

"Don't. Talk. To. Me."

"A small wager to see who can get a first class upgrade free of charge?" She teased. 

"Hmpf"

And, after half minute of silence

"You're on."


	2. Chapter One - Japan to New Caledonia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang arrivein New Caledonia, on its way to Saint Simon. Edamura uncovers some secrets.

Edamura sighed. He really could enjoy Australia more than the two hours or so in the airport to change airplanes. Laurent must be in a hurry.

The arrival in New Caledonia was the same. Thierry Laurent rushed them to a Jeep

“Sorry, friends. I know you’re tired, but there’s another hour or so of road ahead of us before you can relax.”

“I will not going anywhere before getting some answers.” Edamura said.

“Sure. Feel free to go back to Japan.”

“Getting money for a ticket is no problem for me, Laurent.”

“Of course. You also can contact the Japanese diplomatic body if that fails.”

“And I wi…”

“… Mr. Shinji Taneda.”

Edamura mind was taken by cussing words. Laurent went on.

“That’s what’s in your passport, right?”

“Passport you gave me.”

“And you used it. Look, Edamame, you and Cynthia are tired from the long trip, and it’s not over yet. I will tell you after we get there, right?”

Soon, the Jeep was on its way with three passengers.

* * *

The city they arrived certainly was not a touristic one. Box-like buildings, projected and built in bulk to serve a practical function. Laurent stopped in front of a hotel, one of those of huge chains, with the bare minimum service for businesspeople.

“Welcome to your home for the next two days, Edamame.”

“Right, Laurent, now…”

“Now, shower, dinner and sleeping. Like I said, we have two days while both girls work their magic.”

Somehow, Abigail Jones appeared leaning against a wall near the hotel elevator, slicing an apple with a knife that looked to Edamura designed to slice things more dangerous than apples. The newcomer smiled.

“Save it. I am also in the dark.” She said

“I was going to say ‘hello’…”

“Ppppffff,,,”

* * *

The morning light hit Edamura hard as Laurent yanked the curtains open.

“Rise and Shine, Edamame. It’s 10 a.m. You have lunch with Abigail precisely at 12:30.”

“huh…”

“Don’t bother to shave, it adds to your character. Here.” He threw him a last-generation smartphone “I want you to look busy with it. Do you know Chinese?”

“… wha…”

“Chinese, Further Muck. Do you speak it?” Laurent laughed “I always wanted to do Pulp Fiction. _The path of the righteous man is beset…_ ”

“… some words… phrases… Laurent…?”

Finally, the world came to focus on Edamura’s mind.

“Laurent, you own me some answ…”

“Mix that Chinese with Japanese when talking on the phone. Get dressed. Go see the city. Take your sweet time with Abigail.”

“I will not…”

“Later I will tell you what’s this all about. Oh, and a word of advice, Edamame…” He pointed to the only thing the youngster was wearing “Y-front undies clash with the character. **Any** character.”

* * *

The city was exactly what Edamura expected. Almost 100% practical. And small. The largest building was a bank agency, spotted from kilometers away, thanks its bright yellow and blue logo. Worst, the phone Laurent gave him was a forgery. Pressing a corner, it would display one of three images of apps and texts, and that was it.

He looked at the bank again. The yellow on the logo was one of the few colours in the city, even the sky seemed gray. Some people passed by talking. For some reason, he missed home.”

Finally, it was time to meet Abigail at a barbeque eatery.

“This is very good.” He said, after long minutes of either silence or Abigail dodging his questions. He hold another yellow ball, with crunchy crust and almost rubbery, salty interior.

“Cheese bread.” She said

“Oh…? I would not expect exotic food in such city.”

Silence

“In the end, you were right, Abby. Laurent got me again.”

“Not exotic.”

“Huh?”

“The food is not exotic, Makoto. You’re smarter than that, open your eyes. This is New Caledonia. What does not match?”

Suddenly, he opened a smile.

“I think I passed an internet cafe two blocks down the road. Need to check a few things.”

“Let’s enjoy this food first. Laurent’s paying.”

* * *

Later that night, the four met at Laurent’s room.

“Right. Abby and Cynthia, how’s…”

“Nickel.”

Laurent smiled and sat down, making a gesture for the Japanese kid to go on. He tossed a 5-cent coin.

“That’s what Americans call this coin, right? Now, nickel is in high demand to make electric cars batteries. But there’s more. This is New Caledonia. Technically, France. So, why the big Banco do Brasil agency? Why the Brazilian-style BBQ? Why I heard people speaking Portuguese on streets?” He said, now identifying the familiarity in the street. It reminded him of Macau.

“You tell us, Edamame.”

“This city was built for the workers of a mine nearby. A mine owned by Brazilian Vale, the world’s largest producer of…”

He tossed the coin again.

“And now, the profit part.” Encouraged Cynthia

Edamura scratched the back of his neck.

“I am not sure. But Saint Simon and Jude is not that far away. If there’s nickel on New Caledonia, there are chances of finding it on that country, too. Maybe we’ll pretend to be Vale workers to get some money from that government.”

“Good. But don’t you think they tried that already?” Laurent got up, filled his glass with sparkling water. “Saint Simon and Jude is ruled, since independence, by a very nationalist military junta. Their mining company managed to make some big holes in the country soil – and treasure – and nothing else. Both Vale and Chinese Jinchuan tried everything to mine there.”

“There’s rumors” Cynthia took over “that there’s the beginning of a rebellion in Saint Simon. To overthrow the junta, they are ready to contract a big mercenary and gun smuggler, with the help of an agent from Jinchuan.” She went to her purse “Here, I will show you…” She opened a make-up case “The mercenary and the man from Jinchuan”

Abby and Edamura saw their image on the tiny mirror.


	3. Landing on Saint Simon and Jude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang arrived at St. Simon. Time to contact the locals. 
> 
> Just a short update. 
> 
> Thanks for the readership! You guys are the best

Edamura sighed in relief. Heavens know in what he would fly if the trip had another leg. From Japan to Australia, a normal-sized, brand-new Boing. Australia-New Caledonia, a smaller, older one. New Caledonia-Maré, even smaller aircraft. Maré-Saint Simon and Jude, something that fits 35 people, as long as they’re all masochists or have a death wish. Now, the worst part. Cynthia arrived one day earlier, to play a corrupt Vale director, ready to contact a power-hungry colonel, who is scheming to replace one of the junta’s generals. Laurent will arrive later, to play… heavens know what.

To make things worst, he would not know where they would stay, and would meet only in emergencies, so no one would suspect.

That leaves Abby and him to register at a cheap hotel next the airport.

“Good. We survived being inside the plane and now they will fall on our heads.”

“Newbie” Chuckled Abby “You don’t know how bad a plane can get. I’d give ours a six.”

“What’s the worst you flew?”

“A two. Grade two flying, grade five counting the pieces after I landed. Come. We’re going out.”

“Where? I doubt we’ll find ‘local rebel cell’ on Google.”

“Of course not. Facebook.”

Soon, they entered a bar, even if by Edamura standards it didn’t deserved the name. In fact, he was not sure the place was even classified by science.

“Beer” said Abby leaning on the counter. And, after getting the bottle “Do you have change for a big note?”

“How big?” asked the guy on the counter

“47.” The guy stood motionless for a second “Are you Facebuk Ogo?”

“Hey. I will pay that bill, girl.” Said one of patrons

“Really?” Abby smiled.

Half hour later, Edamura, pale as a ghost, closed his hotel room door while Abby laughed loudly.

“What’s so funny?” shouted the Japanese “Less than six hours in Saint Simon and we already got on a bar fight.”

“Correction. We won a bar fight”

“Abby, you may not value your life, but I…”

“What did you say?”

“I mean… the way you act… I…”

“If you really value your life, Makoto, stay away from my personal…”

Someone knocked on the door. In few seconds, the situation ran into Edamura’s mind. He’s about to face the police of a iron-ruled country after destroying a bar trying to contact outlaw rebels under a fake passport.

“The window.” He said, grabbing Abby’s arm. She shook him of.

“Miss Abby” came a voice from the other side “It’s me, Facebuk”

“Still learning how things work, Makoto?”

She opened the door, welcoming the owner of the bar.


	4. Deep into Saint Simon

Edamura felt again the eyes of the driver on him, while he held himself trying to remain in the old Jeep despite the bumpy roads. Finally, Facebuk spoke:

“I am sorry to ask, mr. Taneda… aren’t you too young for this kind of job?”

“People younger than me are opening multi-million companies for decades, Facebuk.”

“Sure. But it’s all office work. This is… dirty action.”

“I pushed a bully’s head on the toilet when I was seven. And flushed.”

The local just laughed

“And, if my age is a problem, why don’t you question Abby, too?” he said, pointing to the lass on the passenger seat.

The driver looked at her, shook his head

“Mercenaries don’t live much more than that.”

Right, thought Edamura. Not exactly swapping paintings, are we? But he used the moment of distraction to dig his nail on his chest, near the shoulder

“Well, I can make much more damage than her behind my computer, but what’s the fun? Believe me” He quickly opened his shirt, flashing the mark he just made “This is not from a spreadsheet”

The moving car, the dusty road and his quick movement will make Facebuk imagine a knife wound, a bullet extraction or both.

“I’ve worked with Taneda before” helped Abby “He is ok.”

Another few minutes and they passed thru what once was a farm fence.

“They will not stay here for long” said Facebuk “security’s not the best.”

“No problem. We have something better than barbed wire, right, Abby?”

She grunted, Edamura confused if in the character of a though mercenary or not.

* * *

Meanhile, Colonel Maverick Taga can’t believe on his luck. He lady in front of him started talking some nonsense about selling Saint Simon army cheap reinforced steel, but he was not listening. The right words, and they will transfer this meeting from his office to a night club and, after that… he took a sip from the coffee he and her were sharing. Time to use a bit more of the old charm. She may think she’s an important business woman, but…

Something on his belly and behind suddenly got his attention. Not now, not now. Fine. He can hold it. He can…excuse himself and run to the bathroom. Faster!!

Cynthia just got up, went behind his desk and sent an email. From the colonel computer and IP.

Exiting his office, she threw the laxative away on the first trash bin.

* * *

Edamura and Abby entered a shed, to see half-dozen men there. Time to start the deal.

At some point, self-apointed rebel leader Wojee Benjamin was not happy. Who that oriental think he is? Why he wants to change everything?

“The deal is we pay half of the weapons, your company pays the other half, Mr. Taneda. And, after we free Saint Simon, you got the mines. It can’t be simpler.”

“Do you know how to win a revolution, Wojee?” Asked Abby

“We have the just cause and the will of…”

“Blah, blah, blah. Do you know how many revolutions in the world right now have the same speech?”

He was about to answer, but she continued

“You need money, you need international support.”

“When the World learns how the Junta treats…”

“Sorry, no one will care about Saint Simon and Jude. To say you’re a peripherical nation is to be too kind.” Said Edamura

“Why, you…”

“But the world loves a good gossip about big companies.” Edamura smiled “how about some evidence of corruption between Vale and the Junta?”

Wojee asked for a moment to talk with the other revolutionaries

“We’ll need time to get the rest of the money.”

“You have 24 hours.”

“No! only if I see the weapons first.”

“I need to see the money first” said Abby.

“I need to see the nickel first” completed Edamura

Wojee was not happy.

“24 hours, then.”

Edamura almost jumped of joy, but kept his poker face.

“Until there” finished Wojee “You’re our guests” and, to one of his thugs “take them to the cell”

Now, the poker face was harder to mantain


End file.
